UCLA Needs to Grow a Pair. Or Two.

I admit that I have been disappointed during the Mora era at UCLA to find a competent team that rarely created news fodder. They have a better record than USC (for now), are ranked higher than USC is (for now) and Mora has eliminated the whiner mentality that fostered “traditions” like ditching your final practice of the season if you are a senior, even if you have a bowl game.

I admit, they felt like a vastly different team than the one that backed into the Pac 12 Title game, got embarrassed, then petitioned the NCAA to be tied for the worst team to ever play in a bowl game only to lose it and own the dubious distinction of “worst team every to play in a bowl game” outright.

Frankly, after the ugly Mora comments about “students getting shot” at USC, I’ll admit he ran a tight ship.

Until this week when the master thesis of the Bearfighter was proven true: UCLA has whiner embedded in their DNA.

Bruins Nation, who I will not even link to because they have gotten enough traffic this week, has put out one of the whiniest requests to prevent our drum major from stabbing the 50 yard line before our game at the Rose Bowl because stabbing their logo makes them sad.

Possibly in response, UCLA has informed USC that if our drum major stabs the fifty yard line as he does everywhere, every game, including OUR OWN LOGO at home games, our band, the greatest in the world and frankly a treat for Bruin fans used to their 8-clap and fight song more fit for a carousel than a football game, will not be able to perform at halftime.

The choice is apparently ours.

Beyond the stupidity of the Bruin blog suggesting a Teague/Owens moment without realizing they are essentially asking a football player to tackle a student (that will fly well in court), the real stupidity is that if UCLA’s tradition was stabbing the fifty yard line, I’d welcome it and use it to fuel another 50-0 drubbing.

Where were you all these years, UCLA? You start 8-2 and suddenly you want to start poking your older brother in the ribs? You are the definition of what a whining, winless culture does to a fan base and the fact your school backed you up on this should make any college football fan sick.

Some of the coolest moments ever are when opposing bands do their thing. Stanford does everything short of have explosive diarrhea on our logo, who cares. Settle it on the field (and we’ve lost to them for about five years now, you don’t see me whining). Notre Dame’s fight song makes me want to rub a cheese grater on my junk every time I hear it (except when I am watching Rudy), but I LOVE that I get to see them do it.

You wore crappy white jerseys last year, you are messing with your colors again. I get it. It’s trying to abandon a culture of losing that has rendered the football program a joke since they were parking in handicapped spaces. All that makes sense…

Until you start whining about the other team stabbing your logo. Loser mentality. You can do an 8-clap and ring around the rosie by Tommy Trojan, I don’t care a little bit. I’ll take it out on you on the field.

Let me ask you a question, UCLA “nation”. Do you deserve the right to command a team that beat you 50-0 to do anything? How about you can start making demands when you score. I demand you guys start acting like people who watch football.

What you are doing is like if in Lord of the Rings when the orcs are about to storm the castle, some elf (that’s you, Bruin) calls out meekly “no head shots, kay? no swords to the face? we can agree on that right?”

You are owning the role of biggest whiner culture in the Pac 12. You could turn me into an Oregon fan with this because somehow I know those guys wouldn’t even be thinking about this. They definitely wouldn’t be doing anything to piss off a team that literally beat them 50-0 this year.

fight on, buddy

This goes beyond locker room material. You’ve pissed off the band. The fans. The alumni and probably anyone else that actually loves college football things like “tradition” and “competition”. People who understand these concepts want the opponent in all their glory, putting it all on the field from offensive traditions to classic uniforms and then they want to beat the shit out of that team on the field.

I’m sorry. You don’t deserve to be our rival any more. Oregon gets to be our Pac 12 rival. Notre Dame, as myopic as they are, they are our only true rival who respects tradition and rivalries.

You are just a bunch of whining children who don’t understand the concept that we aren’t stabbing your logo, we stab the fifty yard line. At Notre Dame, there’s no logo to stab. At home, we stab the field as well. Maybe question the fact you graffiti your field 200 gallons of baby blue paint. Maybe leave us some green to stab.

We’re sorry the Pac 12 promo video hurt your feelings. Probably not more than losing 50-0 did, which we will never ever do. Ever.

I implore you UCLA, do the football thing. Repeal your idiotic claim to have pride. Pride is earned on the field, not in prohibiting tradition. Do whatever you want to our field next year. Anything. All I’ll be counting is the game. Don’t ruin our rivalry any more than losing 50-0 did. Act like winners. If this was basketball, you’d understand.

Be tougher. Be cooler. Respect the game. Maybe instead of an old fart waving a white towel (seriously, waving a WHITE TOWEL), do something bad ass that we would see and think “oh man, let’s get these guys”. Make no mistake, we’d let you do it.

And advice from the Bearfighter… Stab the fucking field anyway. If that means no playing at halftime, pardon my French, but fuck you. You don’t get to hear us play. We’re stabbing the field and you can try and pay us back on the field. If you do, congrats. It will be the first honorable, non-child-hissy-fit action we’ve seen all week.

Stab the field, screw playing at halftime and let the football teams play.

The Bearfighter has spoken. Spread the word. Just because they want to be 11 year olds doesn’t mean we need to get sucked into their universe. Regardless, I hope the team is as pumped up to punish them as I am. Even the fact they asked is wrong.

FTFO.

**Update-

Because I forgot, on the subject of asking us not to play TUSK because we sing UCLA sucks, we sing that when we aren’t playing you and if the band can’t play it, I suggest our fans in attendance just start playing it themselves.

If I were a reasonable Bruin fan, I’d burn my diploma because it’s now a tattoo that says “whining”.

Funny how, after nearly 10 yrs of being a JOKE in the PAC and college football in general( not to mention being USCs “prison wife”) the UCLA program is “magically” some super star group in the West! Letd see,2011, 6-7 ( lost to USC 50-0),2012, decent season finally( usc basically commited suicide), and 2013?can’t beat Oregon or Stanford, andhave ASU and a crippled but surging USC breatging on the bruins vulnerable neck! Sorry clownface, but 1 1/2 decent seadons does make UCLA a primier program! Karl Dorrell and Rick Neuheisel left the program worse than anything “Lame Kiffin” could do cross town get BEAT by ASU, and finished off next week by USC…..

Funny coming back to this comment after the beatdown we laid on you guys. Trojans have awfully short memories of football history it seems, considering every single one fails to remember the 8 year losing streak SC had to the Bruins not too long ago. Looks like the 2010’s are shaping up to be pretty competitive between these two teams

it looks that way yes. It was easy to forget the 8 year run because of the following decade plus, and also the decades before it. that said, we need to win on the field so enjoy the remaining days until we play next (and until we field a full team).

That is a football decision. I don’t care one way or the other. WHat UCLA is doing is sanctioning a fucking marching band. I would argue the band leader stabbing the field like he does everywhere including at home isn’t disrespecting anything. It’s a 41 year old tradition that only UCLA this week cried about. If that’s what you want to defend, by all means. Differentiator. Nothing could disrespect your program more than losing 50-0, which will never come off the books regardless of outcome. Also, you’d need to win for 2 decades straight to even make the lifetime series close.

This is so true. Had they some sort of band-entry tradition, they could do whatever they wanted to our logo. We welcome that sort of thing — tradition.

And as for the symbolism… who cares? Stanford’s much more insulting, and yet,we can laugh at it (though not as much as when Stanford, when playing ND, made light of the irish potato famine and then riverdanced™).

I’ll be in the USC Away Student Section on Saturday and you can bet I’ll be singing Tusk at halftime after we have been “banned” from playing at halftime… It’s getting stabbed… Time to bring the arrogance to USC’s winter home… FTFO

First of all, I am a Bruin and I don’t always agree with you, but you are a funny and fresh perspective. While I initially jumped on board to prevent the drum major from stabbing the field, I now realize its a dumb request to make.

If we (UCLA) really want to do something about it, we can just beat y’all on the field and make Tommy Trojan seem silly. I think over-sensitivity that comes from being pummeled year after year for the past decade by SC is to blame.

BUT Here’s to a good rivalry game that for the first time in years (decades?) has 2 ranked teams and has PAC-12 implications.

Dennis, I respect you very much for coming here and respecting tradition. Voltaire, right? I’d defend to the death your right to say it… I may hate UCLA traditions, but I’d never ban an 8 clap or U$C signs. Do your thing, let’s football it up.

UCLA is being that one kid you always played tag with. You know the one that would always call a damn timeout when he was it, because he was too slow catch anyone? Yeah that’s you UCLA. Who wants to play with someone like that? You’re so right bearfighter. We now have to consider those nerds at Stanford and cross dressers at Oregon actual rivals, and they’ve only been relevant to us the past couple years. We never did this shit to you UCLA. You can still call us RIVALS. The audacity, I tell ya. 12 years of getting your ass beat should be enough for anyone to see the cardinal red and gold light.

WE OWN THE ROSE BOWL, THE COLISEUM, THE BRUINS, STANFORD, STANFORD BAND, CAL, LOS ANGELES, EVERYONE, EVERYTHING. WE RUN THIS TOWN, AND WE WILL DO WHATEVER THE HELL WE WANT. AND THE BRUINS WILL LIKE IT. AND THEY’LL THANK US FOR IT. AND THEY WILL JOIN US IN CELEBRATING IT. #FTFO #TROJANPOWER #STABSTABSTABAWAY

Fuck the drum major and that bullshit tradition. Remember what happened when TO came out to shit on the Cowboys star? He got his ass knocked out. If I was UCLA I’d do the same. Saying “we’re dickheads everywhere we go, not just to you guys” is the stupidest defense. Fuck USC

you are the first school to petition this from happening and your mascot has a sister/wife with a bow on her head. i think you are in that rarified “total whiner” air. but by all means keep making awesome points for my readers to laugh at.

The hypocrisy coming from Westwood is hysterical. Stabbing the field is disrespectful, but suggesting our drum major “get his ass knocked out” and calling us “douchebags” and “dickheads” is not? Absolutely brilliant logic.

Look in the fucking mirror before you start talking about disrespect. Your complete lack of respect for tradition, competition and this rivalry far more egregious than our drum major stabbing the 50 yard line.

If i remember correctly, when TO did that, it upset everyone in the stadium. But after the cowboys scored, one if their players ran to the 50 and did the same, as in reclaiming it. If fucla wants our respect, they should fight for it on the field, instead of whining. As a TMB alum, i hope the drum major stabs the field multiple times then spits on the logo, then stabs it again.

Well said as always, as a band member I really appreciate your quick response to UCLA’s pathetic attempt to appear to suck less.

One concern though, a lot of people assume that whether we stab the field or not is up to the band. Truth is, it’s probably up to our Athletic Department and both our Drum Major and Dr. Bartner’s hands would be tied on this. Believe me, every band member would stab that field with the greatest pleasure, if we’re allowed to do so.

So, as the most influential alum blogger and the Bearfighter, you would be one of the few people who might actually be heard by the Athletic Department. Please use your Bearfighter power and take this to them! The band has stood behind the team and the university throughout the years, probably nobody understands this better than you do, and now it’s time for the Athletic Department to have the band’s back. Stop ucla’s whiny bullshit Bearfighter!

“without realizing they are essentially asking a football player to tackle a student ” That’s what college football players do, by the way… tackle students. They’re all students… except, maybe if they’re paid…, oh…wait…USC… never mind.

calling someone out isn’t whining. if you knew the difference, perhaps your school wouldn’t be whining in the first place. this is, to be blunt, calling you out for being tools. I don’t care that you did it, I’m just calling you out for looking pathetic.

I’m both a Trojan and Bruin…and I am totally for UCLA trying this tactic. Isnt the point to irritate the F@#$ out of one another leading up to the game and at the game? its why USC plays our song so much. It’s why we all try to defile the other’s statues…to get under the nerves of the other. So, isnt that what UCLA is doing? Becuase it seems to have worked. Especially on you buddy. Instead of “whining” right back (which is what you’re doing) you should grow some balls yourself and devise some sort of master plan of sticking it to the Bruins for suggesting this (and clearly getting under your skin). I think someone’s suggestion above is awesome, they should not do it at the begining of the game, but do it at half time after they play? or, screw the halftime performance, all the players should run out with swords and stab the field.

But to bitch and whine about it on a blog seems pretty pathetic dude. And it appears to me that the Bruins have done exactly what they wanted..pissed off the Trojans. Now…use all that aggression and take it out on them on the field.

“confused” is a normal response from a Trojan. Noone is? What would you call someone who went to both schools? Granted I’m sure they’d normally call themselves a Bruin if given the choice…but they could still be considered both. but… you’re confused. I get it.

Anyway, seems the poster was right… this really irritated the Trojans. Well done UCLA.

A trojan is a trojan even when he goes to Anderson business school. Only a Bruin claiming to be neutral for the sake of trying to make a cogent point on a blog that pissed him off would claim to be both. A bruin/trojan is a unicorn.

I have to assume (hope) that Bruin Nation is not representative of the greater UCLA fan base given how pathetic it is compared to every other SB Nation blog in our conference / the universe.

I wish I had something witty to say…but I don’t… what a bunch of f—cking pussies. We’re talking about a mascot…a mascot…better start a movement now to make sure the Cardinal Tree doesn’t look at you with those crazy eyes. What a total joke you’re making of a respected university. You are what’s wrong with the UCLA program. Just know that.

As a UCLA student, this is the first I’ve heard of the situation. To someone above me, I’m pretty sure that if the entire band stabbed the field, that might render it incapable of being played upon safely, and I’m sure no one would be happy about that (from either side).

At first, the article pissed me off (don’t like being told to burn my diploma). But I saw the point being made and when all is said done, I agree, talk on the field, there’s all kinds of hype for the team this year, so let’s talk on the field.

Zack, what UCLA has done is UMBRAGEOUS. Thank you for calling them out. We will celebrate with a cake shaped like a football field and invite all Trojans to stop by and stab the “field.” If our Drum Major cant do it, we will! Fight on and beat the bRuins.

I’ve read this like 12 times since you posted it. Every time I read this, it’s like gnawing raw bear meat and listening to a mash up of Tusk and Seven Nation Army on Bose speakers in a room full of assault weapons and meth. I’ve never been this fired up for a football game since I learned what the word “football” meant. I’m going to be at the Rose Bowl on Sat, in a tailgate of bRuins and believe me I plan on echoing these exact sentiments. I’m also going to bring my own sword and just stab blue things indiscriminately. Chairs, signs, fans, whatever. When you have a fan base so used to winning, booze, more winning, and being assholes…. it’s never wise to upset us.

Goddamn, does it feel good to get the fusc fans all riled up. To the point where someone who tries too damn hard to sound conversational in his tone to try and start a campaign to end the rivalry, as if somehow that’ll work? It’s gorgeous.

It’s our house, and your tradition. Why the fuck would we preserve your tradition? We don’t give a shit about it, and we won’t allow it. You want to do that elsewhere, that’s cool, but people are sick of it, even if it’s after 41 years. The fact is, you assholes aren’t stabbin’ the field on Saturday, and that’s that.

What a joke. I hope you alienate even more alumni with this. You already ruined what could have been a legit blog for UCLA, now you’re moving onto ruining the rivalry. The only thing you’re after is attention and hearing the sound of your own whiny voice. You brought stabbing the field to new levels….before it was just routine to many fans, now its an event. I do thank you for that.

“Why the fuck would we preserve your tradition?” That’s what rivalries are built on you sensitive bitch. You do yours, we do ours. That’s how sports work. And the winner gets to talk shit.

All you’ve done is take attention away from the most important part of this week….the game….and misrepresent the many legit Bruins out there by coming off as a pouty little dick.

Personally? I’m not offended by it, but because other UCLA fans are, and because this is our house — yo, USC still has a losing record against us in the Rose Bowl — you better do what we tell you, and guess what the USC Marching Band did? They complied, like the subordinates they are.

Rivalries aren’t made so your rivals can preserve your tradition. Rivalry is a mind-game and guess what? You’re losing. (See: Comments on this blog, this whiny post I’m commenting on right now.)

You want to come and deface our sign? Cool, we get to fuck up one of your traditions. Gotcha, motherfuckers.

I love this, because UCLA football is where USC traditions go to die. I love seeing USC fans getting riled up and I love seeing all your silly traditions go up in flames, ending with us. You assholes know you’re afraid because Cal and other places are going to step the fuck up and say something. It feels good that we’re going to destroy your traditions, one toy sword at a time.

UCLA sucks. Point blank period. Your argument would make sense say… 40 years ago, but now all of the sudden you want to try and make one? Please. As I said, UCLA sucks… and it sucks to suck. 50-0, 24 Rose Bowls in “your house”, BAM! If you really wanted to defend your “logo”… win the conference and PLAY IN THE ROSE BOWL GAME for once. Until then, stfu and to all Trojans – FTFO!

All I know is… for the next 48 hours the only lyrics running through my head will be “UCLA SUCKS” along to the tune of Tusk. I know I’ll be in the endzone Saturday dancing my U$C A$$ off to it! FIGHT ON TROJANS!

Watching the Trojan “faithful” and the look on their faces as they filed out of the Rose bowl was beyond enjoyable. Have fun with “myopic” Notre Dame. Good Luck with Barkley’s shoulder and Wettik too. Anthony Barr fucked you, and I’m good with that.

Wow, I love how all the comments end before the game started. Yep, about right, because you guys SUCK!! It’s hard to deal with being so lame that you had to take time out of your day to write about us because obvious you couldn’t write anything positive about USC. Hahahahahahahah!! Stuff like this is the true nature of a USC fan. Continue writing about us because it makes it all that much better when we WIN!!!

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